Dialogues On Play: Words, Artefacts, Images

In harmony with the objectives of the PhD course, the course proposes an in-depth study focusing on the theme of play, a human activity that is as natural and universal as it is culturally complex and often placed at the intersection between material and immaterial culture. The theme, which has long been the subject of research in the PhD programme's departments of reference, will be tackled from a strongly interdisciplinary perspective and with reference to a broad chronological span, ranging from antiquity to the contemporary world. Each lesson will be held by two scholars who will dialogue on a specific topic, notably: lesson n. 1 - Plays and games as an interdisciplinary field of study (F. Dedè, A. Scala), lesson n. 2 - Play, magic, and ritual between the ancient world and modernity (G. Barucci, S. Romani), lesson n. 3 - Names, forms, and functions of the doll: a journey through word and things (C. Lambrugo, A. Scala), lesson n. 4 - Play and literature: ceremony, re-use and responsibility of the subjects in the social space (L. Neri, C. Torre), lesson n. 5 - The words of playing: a look at the names of the "toy" (F. Dedè, P. Moretti), lesson n. 6 - Wordplays between ethnolinguistics and literary lusus (C. Meluzzi, A. Raschieri).